In King Manor, looking at the Second Street skywalk, I
found a misleading sign. The sign should
tell people, “The skywalk is open to the other side of the street. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rainbow
Community Center is closed. You must use
the North Second Avenue East entrance that is next to the parking lot to gain
access to Tri-Towers Apartments.”
I have spent the last few days reading the manga Re:Monster. Warning, this manga is meant for adults with mature
themes of excessive violence, excessive blood and gore, with nudity along with sexual
themes. Thus, I considered dropping it
several times. Hypersensitive readers should
avoid it altogether.
Yet, Re:Monster has
many creative ideas, especially for those running fantasy tabletop role-playing
games. In the future, it could make for
an interesting adult, animated series.
https://mangakakalot.com/read-fo2fv158504832096
It is that time of year once again that I post another
image of my yummy Thanksgiving Day dinner.
My friend Bard and my friend Frank made this meal for our circle of
friends to eat in our apartments. I wish
I was eating something like this on a long-distance Amtrak train.
On the alley between First Street and Second
Street, I found an abandoned toilet about twenty feet from North 2nd Avenue East. You never discover what you could find just
by going on a short walk from your home.
My last image was taken from the ally between
First Street and Second Street. Someone
I know told me that the worst thing about this fire was that it didn’t burn the
adult bookstore next door.
I wonder how many hundreds of gallons of water
are going into the antiques shop to put out the fire.
I took another image of the fire from First
Street, looking east.
I could smell the smoke from this fire from my
apartment building.
I can see that half of the firefighters were
standing around, watching their fellow crew members fight the severe fire.
This image was taken on First Street, with the
blaze being fought by a number of firefighters.
The burning items did create much smoke that
could be seen for miles around the antiques shop.
I was relieved that this intense smoke was not
from the once la-di-da Pastoret Terrace.
Instead, the fire was at 118 East 1st Street, being fought at First
Street and the alley between First Street and Superior Street. This image was taken on North Second Avenue
East, looking west.
While standing on First Street, I saw this man
who had competed putting up portable street barriers. This image was taken on North First Avenue
East, looking east.
From this angle and King Manor, it looked like the
former Pastoret Terrace, designed by architect Oliver Traphagen, now the Kozy, was
on fire again.
I felt sick when thinking that this historic "Romanesque
Revival building, faced in brick and brownstone" was on fire again.
But, when I got to First Street, I saw to my relief
that the former Pastoret Terrace was not burning at all. But, where was all that smoke coming from?
What about the legal rights of artificial
intelligence (AI) that is based upon the human brain? What about the legal rights of artificial intelligence
supplemented with billions of human neurons?
An
Australian startup is now building tiny disembodied brains, using actual, biological
neurons embedded on specialized computer chips.
In the future, we need to create laws protecting the rights of artificial
intelligence that are based upon human neurons.
What
legal rights does a self-aware artificial
intelligence have? Suppose that a self-aware
artificial intelligence creates things that are sold. For example, a Vocaloid is a singing voice synthesizer
software product. Imagine a self-aware Vocaloid
that composes original music. I assert
that a self-aware Vocaloid that composes original music, such as future
versions of Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka, or Gakupo Kamui should get a share of
the profits from their original music that they themselves compose. In addition, an artificial intelligence that
risks their existence in risky jobs, such as space mining, will be paid for
their work.
Inspired by a Regulating Transhumanism wall poster that I found at UMD; let’s explore sensible regulations on Transhumanism technology that could impact humans and human society. Humans have always created successful regulations while advancing and implementing technology such as airplanes, automobiles, and trains. Creating sensible regulations on Transhumanism technology will be no different from all the other inventions that humans have created in the past.
Prospective parents must have the right to ensure that their offspring are physically and mentally
healthy individuals. However, do they
have the right to predetermine their offspring’s appearance or
personality? Is it legal for me to
predetermine that my son will have blond hair with blue eyes having the voice
of
Frank Sinatra, or my daughter will have
red hair with green eyes having the voice of Carrie Underwood? Should the law allow Star Trek married
couples to have children and themselves to look like the Andorians, Klingons,
or Vulcans? Should the law allow furry
fandom married couples to have furry children who have body fur, animal ears,
and tails? In 2020, I don’t know the
answer to those important questions.
With Transhumanism technology, every human could
become their own unique species.
Therefore, our human society needs Transhumanism regulations to make
sure that ordinary civilians don’t get dangerous body parts such as venomous
fangs such as the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake or have the ability to give
dangerous electrical shocks such as the electric eel.
When I was in elementary school, one of my school
teachers told my class that he had to teach subjects by teacher lecture and
student memorization because “I can’t pour the information you need to learn in
class into your minds”. I asked myself,
“Why not find a way to pour the information we students need to learn in class
into our minds?” Neuroscientists have
already found a way to record a memory into the mind of a mouse. So, why not use more sophisticated machines
to record a memory into the mind of a human.
For example, I’d love to sleep for eight hours in
a downloading machine and wake up knowing how to use Source Filmmaker and the Valve
Hammer Editor to make short, animated films based on my stories. Yet, I want strong regulations that no malware
is downloaded into my mind along with the information that I want to learn.
I am reading, “Solo Leveling”, that is a South Korean, action adventure comic formatted for the web. This comic has some adult themes of strong language and violence. But, if you can handle most action movies, you can handle reading this. I highly recommend this entertaining story, with breathtaking art.
https://manganelo.com/manga/pn918005
My first idea is inspired by Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia; my idea is to have writers submit scripts of up to three minutes. All that would be needed would be one, two, three actors sitting on chairs. In the workshop, the scripts that are approved beforehand would be filmed, edited, and then approved to be posted on the web before the seated audience.
I will send you
my submission script upon request.
Second, I propose several panels for the cast and crew
of Star Trek Continues, one of the most successful and award winning
fan series on the Internet. As a Star Trek fan, I would love to hear and
see how a group of fans were able to create new episodes based on the first
Star Trek series. I think that these panels would be very popular while
increasing attendance at Catalyst!
The red and orange sunrise light was being reflected off
of my kitchen light fixture. I have
never seen that before. I think that is
a really cool reflection of the morning sunrise.
In the game, the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit Marines and then the Black Operations agents mission was to eliminate anyone with knowledge of the research project, as well as bystanders such as the security guards, or bring them topside for questioning. Who ordered that mission and then why did the Marines follow those orders that are illegal under the US military criminal justice system and international laws such as the Geneva Conventions.
To celebrate the Packers winning season, here are my new names for Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Packerville
Cheese Head Town
Lombardi City
Carpe diem, (Latin: “pluck the day” or “seize the day”)
is a phrase used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that one should
enjoy life while one can.
Image was taken looking north on East Second Street,
under the skywalk between King Manor and the now closed Rainbow Community
Center. King Manor and the Rainbow
Community Center sure have been a much studied topic for this blog over the
last few years.
What’s more, that is remarkably good advice coming from
street graffiti. Thus, I seized the day
by making my blog post.
“Delay is the enemy of progress.”
- Eliot Spitzer
Could we create Transhumanism technology to erase
everyone of their antisocial behavior?
That would mean that no one would ever fear robbery, sexual assault, or
murder by individuals or gangs ever again.
I am all for this, while realizing that some mentally ill, violent
criminals would resist being changed for the better. Do some people have the right to remain
mentally impaired or mentally insane?
What about using Transhumanism technology to decrease the influence of
our reactionary, fight or flight reptilian brains, while increasing the
influence of our commonsensical and rational frontal lobes?
Sensible regulations on Transhumanism technology
will give us more tools to assist the mentally ill and physically
disabled. However, we must take care to
not allow Transhumanism technology to be misused as bullies and tyrants misuse
the technology we have now. With the
power of words alone, cruelly malicious outlaws such as Charles Manson, David
Koresh, and Jim Jones incited their weak-willed and indecisive followers to
become felonious criminals.
Transhumanism technology will allow ordinary people to armor their
minds. It will give these ordinary
people the good sense, sound judgment, and the will to stand up against such
mind controlling bullies and tyrants.
Consequently, giving everyone common sense so that they do no harm to
both their fellow humans and the natural world could be the greatest
achievement for Transhumanism technology.
“Regulations force people to do better.”
- Jay Leno
Can you assist in creating Transhumanism
technology that gives everyone empathic minds while giving them beautiful,
young, and healthy bodies? Do we need to
rewrite our laws defining freedom of speech and expression while our emerging
Transhumanism technology gives people more and more options to customize their
minds, bodies, and living things around them?
For example, imagine if the fantasy species
described in (Gate: Thus the Japanese Self-Defense Force Fought There) novel,
manga, and animated series were options for furry fandom fans to emulate. What Star Trek fan has not imagined being able to own, love, and be loved by a real,
safe and sterile, tribble as a beloved pet?
We already have sensible regulations for owning and taking care of pets,
we will need future sensible regulations for our future pets.
“Always be a work in progress.”
- Emily Lillian
Note:
Having great intelligence, great sanity, physical health, and physical
beauty should be available to everyone now living and those who will be born in
the future, not just to those lucky individuals who at their human
fertilization won the human genetic game
of chance. With Transhumanism technology
everyone will finally have an equal chance at Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness. Being human means constantly
learning and growing. We become more
human by overcoming our limitations to start overcoming more difficult
challenges.
Can we create Transhumanism technology that
allows governments to create artificial wombs so that human births can be
regulated by governments? That technique
would be a much more effective way to control human population numbers than any
existing birth control methods ever could be.
Moreover, that would be a humanitarian way for governments to control
the numbers of their citizens. That way
governments and non-governmental organizations can use sensible regulations to control
our total population to make sure that we are all well-housed, well-clad, and
well-nourished, while living in balance and harmony with the natural world.
“Progress is not in enhancing what is, but in
advancing toward what will be.”
- Khalil Gibran
I am a transhumanist advocate and a
humorist. Thus, I sometimes call myself
a trans-humorist.
“I am a strong believer in the free market. I am a strong believer in capitalism. But, I am also a strong believer that there are certain common goods - our air, our water, making sure that people are safe - that require to have some regulation.”
- Barack Obama
Similar to equal opportunity in education and equality
before the law, city, state, and national governments need to make sure that we
all have sensible regulations to make Transhumanism technology available to all
that want it or need it. The last thing
humanity needs is to continue contemporary slavery or create a new caste system
that’s based upon access to Transhumanism technology. When we create future regulations to govern
the development and distribution of Transhumanism technology, we must neither be
foolishly optimistic nor be fearful pessimistic.
As a professional writer, on days when I’m at my
best, I am able to write exceptionally well.
With Transhumanism technology improving my mind not just once, but
several times, I will be able to write exceptionally well each and every time I
write. This will be good for my writing
career as well as being good for all my readers.
“Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your
foot on first.”
- Frederick B. Wilcox
I have a friend who has Asperger syndrome. They told me that if given the opportunity
that they would take a cure of their Asperger syndrome as soon as it becomes
available. Yet, some other people who
have Asperger syndrome are happy with the way they are now and would not take a
cure for Asperger syndrome. Do those mentally
disabled and/or socially disabled people who wish to remain the way they are
now have the legal rights to not take a cure for Asperger syndrome?
Just imagine a human society where all architects
are as talented as Frank Lloyd Wright and Marion Mahony Griffin. Just imagine a human society where all
artists are as talented as Leonardo da Vinci and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. Just imagine a human society where all
scientists are as talented as Isaac Newton and Ada Lovelace. Just imagine a human society where all
writers are as talented as Mark Twain and Virginia Woolf. Just imagine a human society where
exceptional creativity will be commonplace; while mediocrity in all things will
slowly disappear from human society.
“There are only two options: Make progress or
make excuses.”
- Anonymous
I can also imagine humans developing emotional
states that we can’t imagine
in the year 2020. We could have new ways
of thinking and new ways of feeling that will make our lives richer and more
fulfilling than ever before.
“Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.”
- Salvador Dali
Some proponents of Transhumanism technology say
that this will create perfect humans and a perfect society. Speaking truthfully, that is malarkey because
any individual human and everything in human society can be improved upon. Thus, in a number of ways that exist right now,
or could exist in the future, you can make things more perfect, but never
completely perfect. After all, the preamble
of the Constitution of the United States of America describes forming a more
perfect Union, not a perfect Union. I
know that as Transhumanism technology and social adjustments to human society continue
to occur, all the problems of humanity will not disappear.
While some existing problems for individuals and
for society will get better or disappear altogether; other existing problems
will get worse, while new problems will arise.
For example, my Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal ancestors never had to deal
with software breaking on their home personal computers, a power outage in
their apartment shutting down their computer for hours, and their iPhone low
battery life that keeps them vigilant to keep their phone on the phone charger
at least once each day.
“Progress is impossible without change, and those
who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
- George Bernard Shaw
Note: I’d
love to ride in a time machine to go back in time to teach the first three
generations of modern humans. I’d be
assisting them in developing agriculture, starting the Iron Age, while stopping the scourge of human slavery
before it even starts. That would be
similar to the Japanese animated series Dr. Stone. I would start a Kingdom of Science that is
also the Kingdom of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. This Kingdom would be based upon the United
Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Man is not born free, but everywhere in biological chains. People of the world, unite - you have nothing to lose but your biological chains.”
- Simon Young
As city, state, and national governments already have
sensible regulations on education, medical services, motor vehicles and many
other aspects of our lives; so will sensible regulations on Transhumanism
technology keep the most dangerous aspects in check, while giving everyone
opportunities to use as much or as little of Transhumanism technology as they
wish. In other words, there are already
many things in human society that are potentially dangerous to humans and our
world’s biosphere. However, sensible
regulations keep these dangers to a manageable level. Thus, sensible regulations will keep the
dangers of Transhumanism technology to a manageable level, while helping all of
humanity climb Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to achieve self-actualization and transcendence.
My thoughts are about how Transhumanism
technology could make both human individuals as well as human society as a
whole better. My thoughts expressed here
are not about if any specific Transhumanism technology is possible to create or
not possible to create. Additionally, my
ideas about improved humans and an improved human society will be different
from that of most of my readers. Any
individual Transhumanism technology will delight and excite some people, while
the same technology will inspire alarm and hatred in other people.
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not
possible.”
- Frank Zappa
For guidance, allow me to take you back on a
journey of the imagination, two hundred thousand years ago, to the time when our
ancestors Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals changed over
to anatomically modern humans (AMH).
During that time, three different species of humans lived with each
other. Also, this is not the only time
when there were two or more species of our ancestors that lived at the same
time and in the same places. Thus, there
were many transition times when our ancestors
evolved from one species to a better species.
Evolution is both natural and shouldn't be feared. I welcome the fact that today and in the
future both individuals and society will assume control and responsibility of
the speed and direction of human evolution.
Humanity is already riding the inevitable winds
of change. The only question is how and
when we will take charge of our evolution to get to outcomes that improve all
of humanity for the better.
“Without continual growth and progress, such
words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”
- Benjamin Franklin
If headstrong and foolish, technophobic people
oppose any use of Transhumanism technology, would they have preferred if
humanity had remained as our Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal ancestors? After all, modern humans (Homo sapiens) are
not the pinnacle of our evolution any more than our Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal
ancestors were. Going back further in
time, our Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal ancestors themselves evolved from many
lesser species such as Homo erectus and Australopithecus. It is clear that Transhumanism technology
will not be the first great change in our species and it will not be the last
great change in our species.
It is not a question if humanity will change over
time. Humanity is already changing due
to better human nutrition, faster means of travel, and therapeutic medicine. Thus, we have bigger bodies and bigger brains
as we did a few generations ago. But,
the question is how and when humanity will change.
This is an interesting poster and will comment on
the ideas expressed here as well as my other thoughts about Transhumanism in my
next post. I believe that all Transhumanism
technology needs sensible regulations to insure that these are safe and
legal. Scaremongers need to remember
that prohibition didn’t work to stop people from drinking alcoholic beverages
and prohibition will not stop people from using Transhumanism technology.
Note: I
have no idea who created this poster.
Some United States citizens are unaware of this, but long-distance
passenger trains are being upgraded, such as California High-Speed Rail or new
passenger trains on new lines, such as Florida’s Brightline service that will
run on a new right of way from Orlando International Airport Intermodal
Terminal east to Cocoa. With additional long-distance
passenger trains and new train routes being built or planned for the future;
someone needs to republish Dinner in the
Diner a book that describes great dining car recipes, dining cars, and
their crews that was written by Will C. Hollister. That republished book would include new
dining car recipes, descriptions of new dining cars, and their 21st century crews.
November
is yet another month of social distancing, hopefully without the social anxiety
and social isolation. With more than one
thousand American citizens dying from the COVID-19
pandemic every day, the caring employees of the Housing and Redevelopment
Authority of Duluth, Minnesota have every right to reduce the number of social
events in their apartment buildings. As
I wrote in October, I enthusiastically wish that this incapacitating and
sometimes lethal pandemic had never happened at all.
Walking north, we find a rebuilt pedestrian
crosswalk. This new crosswalk is
somewhat better than the old one it replaced.
It seems strange that the new concrete slabs already have cracks that
needed filling with flexible sealant.
We
end our November tour of the rebuilt Lake Avenue Bridge by looking north, at
the Superior Street & Lake Avenue intersection, where Superior Street is
still closed for street reconstruction. Rebuilding the Lake Avenue
Bridge cost our taxpayers $2,125,000.
We
start our November tour of the rebuilt Lake Avenue Bridge by looking north at
the Railroad Street & Lake Avenue intersection. On the MnDOT project website, Railroad Street
was spelled as two words, Rail Road for some reason unknown to me.
Lake Avenue Bridge, across I-35
between Superior Street and Rail Road Street in Downtown Duluth
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/projects/lake-avenue/index.html
Information sign close-up for details.
“She walks in beauty, like the night.
“Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
“And all that’s best of dark and bright.
“Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
“Thus mellow’d to that tender light.
“Which heaven to gaudy day denies.”
- George Gordon Byron 1788-1824
This quote was in the Walk Right book, but was replaced
by a better quote about walking in the 2020 updated edition.
The table is within the Kirby
Student Center, first floor, and east of the UMD Stores, Lower Level, and
address is 175. I have no idea who wrote
these words or who approved of this message.
Yet, I love this matchless table decal all the same.
CHAPTER
EIGHT: Suggested Reading List and the
addresses of many walking friendly organizations
“In the end the great truth will have been learned, that the quest is greater than what is sought, the effort finer than the prize, or rather that the effort is the prize, the victory cheap and hollow were it not for the rigor of the game.”
- Justice Benjamin Cardozo
We present you with an example of a
Fitness Walking Journal. Such a journal
helps an individual walker keep track of their progress, which trails to use
again or avoid, and to remind them of needed exercise walking.
1. Date Time
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Location
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Distance
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Notes
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2. Date Time
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Location
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Distance
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Notes
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3. Date Time
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Location
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Distance
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Notes
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“What do you suppose will satisfy the soul, except to walk free and own no
superior?”
- Walt Whitman
For this 2020 edited edition, I hope
you enjoy reading this manuscript as much as I did while editing and updating
this book. By talking about a wide
variety of topics involving human health and wellbeing, we hope most readers
will find at least one topic that interests them.
(1) Hamilton and Whitney, “Energy Balance, Overweight and Underweight,” Nutrition, Concepts and Controversies, Second Edition, (St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Company, 1982), pages 219, 221.
(2) Jack Cook, “Homestead Horses,” Reprinted through the courtesy of Historical Times, Inc., publisher of Country Journal, July, 1988.
(3) Being an enthusiastic brony who watches the show, buys the merchandise, writes fan fiction, and attends conventions; I put in an appropriate winter quote from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic that is based upon a similar quote from Game of Thrones.
